DCF in London - Proving Domicile

[Shy909 0]

Hello again,

I am having my interview soon, and wanted to get some opinions/advice on whether we are likely to be able to prove 'domicile' for my wife who has been living in the UK for the past 3 years. She will not be moving ahead of myself, we are going to be travelling together. We so far have the following case for domicile.

- We have an official letter from our UK letting agent confirming that we have given notice to terminate our current letting agreement.

- My wife has a letter from an ex-employer offering her a job reprising her old role on a dairy farm.

- We have a letter from my wife's mother and step-father confirming that they are expecting both of us to move in with them upon arrivial in the United States

- My wife still has her US driving licence which she renewed earlier this year .

We tried to open a bank account in the USA, but every bank we tried required her to be already bank in the US to open the account.

Does anyone know if this is likely to be sufficient, and does anyone have any ideas on other things we might be able to do to improve our case?

Thanks in advance,

Shy909

[Anh map 2,098]

This I-864 FAQ may be helpful to you >>> http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3183.html#3

[Shy909 0]

Thanks for your reply Ahn Map.

I am familiar with this FAQ already and it was my first point of reference when I started this process.

We don't have children, so registering them is out, and I was also concerned that our letter from parents and ex-employer might be a bit too informal.

I was just hoping to get some opinions on whether what we have is sufficient, and whether anyone can offer any advice of further things we could do.

I am considering opening an international account with one of the UK banks, and also getting some shipping quotes, do you think these would improve the case?

Thanks again, Shy909

[cherriesss 4]

Hello Shy909.

Just a quick rundown of additional ideas for proving domicile that may be useful:

1. Make sure your wife has an active Social Security number. If she does not have one, request one.

2. Filing taxed in the US while living abroad.

3. Registering to vote in her state.

4. Having a credit card in the US.

5. Having any sort of a utility bill (e.g. a cell phone).

6. Any sort of insurance (life or health) purchased in the US.

7. A quote from a moving company estimating the cost of transporting your personal goods to the US.

Hope this helps!

Just get creative and think of ways you can establish proof that your wife is intending to reestablish her domicile in the US.

[Shy909 0]

Hello Shy909.

Just a quick rundown of additional ideas for proving domicile that may be useful:

1. Make sure your wife has an active Social Security number. If she does not have one, request one.

2. Filing taxed in the US while living abroad.

3. Registering to vote in her state.

4. Having a credit card in the US.

5. Having any sort of a utility bill (e.g. a cell phone).

6. Any sort of insurance (life or health) purchased in the US.

7. A quote from a moving company estimating the cost of transporting your personal goods to the US.

Hope this helps!

Just get creative and think of ways you can establish proof that your wife is intending to reestablish her domicile in the US.

Thanks Cherriesss,

My wife does have a social security number, so I'll take the card along. She is also registered to vote, although the hasn't done since she's been here but I can still print the active voter form I found online.

Unfortunately credit card, utility bill and any insurance is out.

We have a couple moving companies coming over next week so we should get some quotes on paper. We also got a letter this week from HSBC bank confirming that she has taken steps to move her account to a US account.

WE also have a couple of email trails with US companies. One for a job agency asking to be added to their books, and one to a mortgage brokers asking advice on the amount we can borrow and after what period.

My main concern is that so much of our evidence may be too informal. I'm hoping for the best. Has anyone been successful with this kind of level of evidence?

Shy

[cherriesss 4]

Hi Shy909.

Everything you mentioned sounds good, no matter how informal you think it might be it will help. It is proof of establishing domicile, after all.

Best of luck!

[Christi85 86]

What you have looks fine. I'd add 3 years of tax returns as it's required as proof of establishing domicile for USCs living abroad.

My husband (USC) and I are in the same boat as you, going through London. He's lived in the UK for over 3 years and we intend to move to the US together.

I just returned the visa paperwork so I'm expecting an interview date in two months' time or so. Here's what we'll have as proof of him re-establishing US domicile:

-his most recent 3 years of tax returns

-proof that he's setting up a business in the US (business registration paperwork)

-a lease we'll be signing with his mother as we'll be staying with her in the beginning (a letter should be sufficient but we wanted it to look a little more official)

-proof of his existing US bank account (he had that before he moved to the UK and never closed it)

-proof of him using his US credit card (he uses it only occasionally but it's the only credit card he's ever had)

-his US driver's license

-his US Social Security card

-proof that he's registered to vote in his State (he never recalls having an actual voting card, so we're going to do a simple printout from the County website showing his registration details)

-resignation letter to UK employer and notice to letting agency for our UK apartment (although he's not going to hand these until after the interview, to be sure)

-printouts of online quotes for shipping companies, health coverage in the US, and car insurance in the US

-printouts of our online search for a car in the US

-a signed declaration that he intends in good faith to re-establish his domicile in the US at the same time as me, outlining the above mentioned evidence

As you can see, several of the steps we'll be demonstrating are quite informal because there's no other way. From the above steps, I consider the first 3 or 4 together with the signed declaration to be by far the most important ones. The rest are just support stuff, but I reckon, if the first 3-4 don't convince them about my husband's serious intend to move over, then the rest aren't going to do the trick. But then every little helps.

I think you'll be fine with what you have - just don't forget the tax returns. Good luck!!

And keep us posted on how it goes.

[Shy909 0]

Thanks for you help everyone.

I needn't have worried, they didn't ask for a single piece of proof for domicile. They took the I864 with transcript for 2009 for my wife & our joint sponsor and were approved.

[Christi85 86]

Thanks for you help everyone.

I needn't have worried, they didn't ask for a single piece of proof for domicile. They took the I864 with transcript for 2009 for my wife & our joint sponsor and were approved.

Congrats, that's great news!!

May I ask if you put UK or US at the "Country of Domicile" question on the I-864 (question 15)?

Thanks!

[Shy909 0]

Thanks Christi,

We put UK for domicile. Had a cover letter & proof in case, but as I said they didn't even see it, and never asked for it.

I'll do a full write up of the experience if it will be useful to you.

[Christi85 86]

Thanks Christi,

We put UK for domicile. Had a cover letter & proof in case, but as I said they didn't even see it, and never asked for it.

I'll do a full write up of the experience if it will be useful to you.

Ok, good, that's what we intended to do. Put UK and have the cover letter and all the evidence. Thanks for that!!

Yes, whenever you have time it would be good if you could do a review of your interview experience. It will definitely help the rest of us waiting for our interviews