stillbirth certficate

[bleecker 0]

Hi,

I am gathering my I-751 package and I would like your opinion whether to include a stillbirth certificate or not. Is it acceptable as evidence?

Thanks for your advice.

[tucson_chick 0]

Hi,

I am gathering my I-751 package and I would like your opinion whether to include a stillbirth certificate or not. Is it acceptable as evidence?

Thanks for your advice.

I am sorry to say, but I would add it.

A very dear friend of mine lost her child of SID at 2 months old, and they had sent in her Birth Certificate with their CR1 application.

When they didn't mention anything about the child in their ROC application, they got an RFE.

I HATE these processes. it is absolutely humiliating.

[SonoranSongbird 3]

First of all, I'm so very sorry for the loss of your baby.

I think the situation of the friend Tucson Chick mentioned is a bit different--they included a birth certificate of their baby in an earlier petition and then mentioned no child with their ROC petition. They probably got an RFE because this would look like a discrepency to them. In your case, I don't think you'd get an RFE because there is no requirement that a couple have a child within two years to prove a legitimate marriage. It DOES show that you conceived a child---which provides some evidence of a bona fide relationship. How helpful and/or necessary that is I don't really know. Personally, I think that if you have other solid evidence and you feel it is a personal matter you don't overwhelmingly feel like sharing, there is no need to include it. On the other hand, if you had sonograms or any baby-to-be-related evidence in your AOS or visa petitions, then you are in the same situation as Tucson Chick's friend, so in that case I'd definitely include it. It can't hurt to include it, but unless you have submitted any baby-related evidence in the past, I don't really think it's needed. Proviso: I'm at the beginning of this part of the process so that is just an opinion.

[bleecker 0]

Thank you both for your input, I appreciate your advice.

The reason why I ma asking is because I'm trying to throw extra pieces of information about our relationship. I feel we don't have enough as evidence.

Sofar, we have the IRS joint tax return Transcripts for 2008 and 2009.

Copy of our ID's showing the same address.

We are under the same health insurance provider thru my work, I can submit printouts from the company website showing that she is listed as my wife and a beneficiary (hopefully they accept printouts from the Internet).

Copy of our Health insurance cards.

We have a joint checking account but the issue is that we never used it for any transactions, there is no activity and the balance is very low. I am not sure if I should submit a statement or not.

Do you think this is considered solid or should I look for some other stuff to add?

Thank you all for your help.

[SonoranSongbird 3]

This is the general theory behind the kind of evidence they want to see: if you are willing to risk owning major assets jointly and have joint bank accounts, you are probably in it for the long haul. The problem with this is not everyone HAS major assets. Younger couples usually can't afford to buy a home and older couples (like us) come into the marriage already owning assets.

I don't know which, if any, of these things you have, but here are some things you can add if you have them:

- Do you have any cars jointly titled in both names?

- Do either of you have a life insurance policy naming the other as beneficiary?

- Any joint credit cards or loans?

- Rental lease in both names?

I don't think the fact that you have a low balance is going to be a problem, and they usually do want to see that you have a joint account. The only thing that I think MIGHT raise issues is that you say you've not used it for any transactions. Do you mean that you haven't used it for any MAJOR transactions, or don't write checks on it? If you just each write checks on it for different things but don't have major transactions, I wouldn't even worry about it. If you really just maintain the account and don't use it, you might want to see if you can get someone at the bank to write a statement just stating that you have maintained a joint account at the bank since whatever date you opened it on. There would probably be someone there to notorize it. I'm just thinking that if they see an account with no activity on it, they might question whether it is just a "shell" account set up to make it look as though you have a joint account when you really don't use it as such. On the other hand, if there is a REASON it isn't used (like you prefer to use cash for small transactions or something), you can explain that in your cover letter.

You might also want to include some personal things such as letters addressed to the two of you, boarding passes or hotel receipts from any trips you've taken, and photos. Not a lot, because this is all considered "secondary" and less important than the evidence that you are "financially mingled," but you should probably include something. And your baby's stillbirth certificate can only help, not hurt.

If you read Gary and Alla's thread "Chat with USCIS director" (that is pinned at the top of the page), it gives you a good idea what type of evidence they are looking for and why they want to see it. Another suggestion for you would be to start a separate thread asking about the bank account. Someone here may have had a similar issue and might not think to open this thread. I think you have pretty solid evidence that you share a home, I'm just a little concerned that they might not see the inactive checking account as solid evidence of financial intermingling. But again, someone here may have dealt with a similar issue and found a way to work around it.

[bleecker 0]

This is the general theory behind the kind of evidence they want to see: if you are willing to risk owning major assets jointly and have joint bank accounts, you are probably in it for the long haul. The problem with this is not everyone HAS major assets. Younger couples usually can't afford to buy a home and older couples (like us) come into the marriage already owning assets.

I don't know which, if any, of these things you have, but here are some things you can add if you have them:

- Do you have any cars jointly titled in both names?

- Do either of you have a life insurance policy naming the other as beneficiary?

- Any joint credit cards or loans?

- Rental lease in both names?

I don't think the fact that you have a low balance is going to be a problem, and they usually do want to see that you have a joint account. The only thing that I think MIGHT raise issues is that you say you've not used it for any transactions. Do you mean that you haven't used it for any MAJOR transactions, or don't write checks on it? If you just each write checks on it for different things but don't have major transactions, I wouldn't even worry about it. If you really just maintain the account and don't use it, you might want to see if you can get someone at the bank to write a statement just stating that you have maintained a joint account at the bank since whatever date you opened it on. There would probably be someone there to notorize it. I'm just thinking that if they see an account with no activity on it, they might question whether it is just a "shell" account set up to make it look as though you have a joint account when you really don't use it as such. On the other hand, if there is a REASON it isn't used (like you prefer to use cash for small transactions or something), you can explain that in your cover letter.

You might also want to include some personal things such as letters addressed to the two of you, boarding passes or hotel receipts from any trips you've taken, and photos. Not a lot, because this is all considered "secondary" and less important than the evidence that you are "financially mingled," but you should probably include something. And your baby's stillbirth certificate can only help, not hurt.

If you read Gary and Alla's thread "Chat with USCIS director" (that is pinned at the top of the page), it gives you a good idea what type of evidence they are looking for and why they want to see it. Another suggestion for you would be to start a separate thread asking about the bank account. Someone here may have had a similar issue and might not think to open this thread. I think you have pretty solid evidence that you share a home, I'm just a little concerned that they might not see the inactive checking account as solid evidence of financial intermingling. But again, someone here may have dealt with a similar issue and found a way to work around it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to present your opinion on these issues, it's very helpful!

I was able to get a letter from my employer stating that my wife is the sole beneficiary on the life and health insurance policies provided to me as benefits. I'll try to work on getting the other pieces of evidence such as a joint credit card and the house lease.

I see on your signature that you are about to start your process of lifting conditions, I wish you the best of luck in your journey and hope the process goes fast and smooth.