Opening Joint Bank Account while in AOS

[Scott & LC 3]

Hi all,

I have questions about opening joint bank account with my husband after starting AOS (I came in on K-1) but my I-94 has expired... I do have an SSN under my maiden name... would I be able to do it? I would like to open a joint bank account to support our marriage bona-fide when it comes to AOS interview. My husband will also put my name under the house deed.

Also, are there any other evidence that we could show? We definitely have a lot of photos together as I love taking photos... we adopted a puppy together so I guess that's an evidence. Should I ask my husband to change the phone bill to both our names?

Would there be any difficulty in any of these?

Thank you.

Sincerely,

LC

[jundp 191]

Hi LC,

yes you can open a bank account. Even though your SS card is in your maiden name, your bank may be willing to add you using your married name if you show your marriage license.

As for more evidence, adding you to the phone bill, the house, any insurance, car, etc. is always good. Plus, it's helpful when you begin to remove conditions in 2 years.

Good luck!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Bank account should be no issue. As stated you can get it in your married name by showing a marriage licence (but pre-warning, if you get asked to show ID to prove it's your card.. you will need to carry a marriage licence with you unless you have ID in your married name).

I have a phone with my husband, but to "add" me to the account would have been a major change and meant almost opening another account. Instead we had my name added to the mailing information and I am authorised on the account as an account holder but "technically" it's still in his name.

We filed just recently for 2009 and made sure we filed married joint (although in my maiden name as my SSN isn't able to be changed until I get my EAD and the IRS won't accept the tax form if the name and SSN name don't match).

Try and keep any letters/envelopes you're sent with the same address. The also like ANYTHING with joint names. If you have a Will, or car insurance, life insurance, medical. And bills or leases in both names. Someone included a gym membership showing the money coming out of the joint account.

For the puppy, he's registered right? Is he in joint names? I'd take a vet record if you can. Pics are always good. I'm taking my wedding album to the interview (and DVD if they wanna watch it )

[Hugglebuggles 60]

My husband added me to his bank account while I was in this stage- AOS pending, I-94 expired and It wasn't an issue for us. I used my foreign passport as photo ID and presented my SSN card, both of which were in my maiden name. They accepted my marriage license as prof of the name change and agreed to add me onto the account in my new name.

For relationship evidence at our AOS interview we brought a letter from State Farm declaring me the beneficiary on my husbands life insurance, documents showing joint car insurance and health insurance, and a phone bill showing a shared cell phone plan, as well as the evidence of 2 joint bank accounts. That satisfied the IO at the interview. I don't even think he really looked at the evidence... he asked for it, glanced at it for a few seconds and then put it into a folder. We had pictures and wedding cards as well, but he didn't seem interested in any of that.

I think a joint bank account, having your name on the house deed, the puppy and a joint utility bill or two would be pretty strong.

Good luck!

[Scott & LC 3]

Gosh I didn't realise it would be so much work to gather all evidence that we're living together, etc... I'll ask my husband to add me to some names and maybe get an affidavit saying that we're living together, etc.... hopefully, it won't be too much of a hassle. He's just too used to doing things by himself.... hmmm... well, I'm gonna urge him to change some of the things around and I'm gonna go find those letters in our names together!! Heh...

Thank you so much everyone Really appreciate it!!!

[Leo&Farah 0]

I managed to get a joint bank account with my hubby using the SSN in my maiden name and passport with Bank of America, no problem. They refused to put it down in my married name though, even with evidence of a marriage certificate. According to the lady, the bank is the 'last stop' in a name change and she said she could only do it once I had updated my SSN name, which can only be done after I get an EAD in my married name.

So, to update bank account name to married name, need SSN in married name. To update SSN in married name, folks at the SS office in Hickory wanted an EAD or GC in my married name.

As for evidence of marriage:

1. Joint lease

2. Joint utility bill

3. Joint car insurance

4. Joint health insurance

5. Joint bank account

6. Joint memberships

7. Joint phone bill

8. Joint car title

9. Pics of wedding

10. Pics with his family

11. Greeting cards from his family addressed to both of you

12. Affidavits of bonafide relationship from his family members, your family members, friends, landlord etc

[Scott & LC 3]

I managed to get a joint bank account with my hubby using the SSN in my maiden name and passport with Bank of America, no problem. They refused to put it down in my married name though, even with evidence of a marriage certificate. According to the lady, the bank is the 'last stop' in a name change and she said she could only do it once I had updated my SSN name, which can only be done after I get an EAD in my married name.

So, to update bank account name to married name, need SSN in married name. To update SSN in married name, folks at the SS office in Hickory wanted an EAD or GC in my married name.

As for evidence of marriage:

1. Joint lease

2. Joint utility bill

3. Joint car insurance

4. Joint health insurance

5. Joint bank account

6. Joint memberships

7. Joint phone bill

8. Joint car title

9. Pics of wedding

10. Pics with his family

11. Greeting cards from his family addressed to both of you

12. Affidavits of bonafide relationship from his family members, your family members, friends, landlord etc

Hey Farah

Thank you for your reply! Wow it seems like you sure have a lot of evidence! Yeah, we're going to open a joint bank account. I'm not sure if I'm gonna use Bank of America or Wachovia. Hmmm... We'll also have my name on the house deed and also joint phone bill... I'm not gonna bother about the car insurance or car title as of now... we'll have pics of wedding/together/family, cards being sent to us and affidavits... i think that should be enough

Thank you and how's your AOS coming along?

[Leo&Farah 0]

Heya,

Well the AOS package is printed, filled out and done, just waiting for the small stuff to be finished like passport pics, transcribing the shots and copying a bunch of stuff at Staples.

After that, its ready to send off, complete with latest tax return and all. I figured to wait for tax return to be done this year as they most likely will issue an RFE asking for one anyways if we filed earlier.

So all in all, will probably join March filers for AOS. I cant waaaaaaaait for this process to be done so theres one less thing off my shoulders. After this, is two years till the next thing.

[Scott & LC 3]

Heya,

Well the AOS package is printed, filled out and done, just waiting for the small stuff to be finished like passport pics, transcribing the shots and copying a bunch of stuff at Staples.

After that, its ready to send off, complete with latest tax return and all. I figured to wait for tax return to be done this year as they most likely will issue an RFE asking for one anyways if we filed earlier.

So all in all, will probably join March filers for AOS. I cant waaaaaaaait for this process to be done so theres one less thing off my shoulders. After this, is two years till the next thing.

Ah, my husband didn't file for joint tax return actually as we read the instructions that we have to be married for a year! But then again, seems like everyone filed jointly here. Well, there's nothing we can do now as everything was processed and he already got everything back! It wouldn't matter I hope! I've just received my case number! Yay Good luck!!!