All of a sudden, lots of problems with USCIS

[ryna 132]

I have no specific advice outside of what I've seen offered. I just want to wish you guys luck.

If this is a result of someone causing trouble out of spite, I would hope there would be serious consequences for any person filing a false report with USCIS once it has been disproved.

Edited July 30, 2011 by ryna

[Churchland 2]

Two other possible suggestions - is there an ex relationship in either of your pasts' where someone is jealous or unhappy that you have married and wants to cause trouble enough to have reported your relationship to USCIS as fraud? and secondly, perhaps there are exterior extenuating circumstances that have happened that have sort of caught the two of you up in the greater repercussions. I didn't see how the two of you met but perhaps the person who introduced you or the organization through which you met (if that is how you met) has created red flags themselves by being involved in less than stellar activities and you are being investigated because they are being investigated. There have been some recent news stories about immigration fraud 'gangs' being identified and many 'couples' now facing charges - it could be somehow one of these has pointed to you by 'association' with some of those involved.

The best advice I can suggest is definitely provide them with what they request plus include additional information about the validity of your relationship. Have affidavits (notarized) from friends and family here in the US who can attest to your relationship as a married couple. If you go to a church, have a letter from the pastor or minister; if you have a family doctor or dentist she has seen, have them write a statement to that effect; see if your mail man will even write a statement that he delivers mail addressed to the two of you at the same address.

You could include several dated photographs with newspapers at different identifiable locations over several days, and include one taken in front of your mail box or your house with the address showing. Start thinking about the different ephemera we gather as a married couple and that starts shortly after everyone knows that you're married - even if it is something like junk mail or a package delivery in both of your names. Open up accounts together at places like Netflix or Costco or Sam's Club and include photocopies of the membership cards.

It does sound like they suspect that the marriage is fraudulent and it is up to you two to prove that it is otherwise. I agree that even with the additional documentation you may be called in for a Stokes Interview. I hope you are able to find out why you have triggered this extra scrutiny.

Good luck to you both.

Thanks for the well wishes and advice.

There are no "ex" problems with us, but we do suspect a family member, but when this happens, maybe we are just paranoid. No one introduced us and there was no organization involved, we met online and got to know each other for a long time before I visited her in China. We have already gained more evidence naturally by being married since October 2010, like you said such as Costco membership, credit cards, driving school enrollment, learner's permit,etc.

We have until October 18th to submit everything, so we are planning on burying them with additional evidence so to speak

[VanessaTony 3,567]

As Churchland's wife, here I want to say thanks for all first.

Did all of the financial paperwork go with the AOS?

Yes, we did.

Is there the possibility that a relative/aquaintance/ex of yours or someone on her side back in China might have approached USCIS or the consulate to cause problems?

We thought we were both little paranoid but looks like you said truth. Yesterday we looked at bunch RFE and we could not focus on the detail things just like this, but it is really weird that USCIS required us to submit" A notarized affidavit from the beneficiary's United States citizen spouse describing his/her wishes to pursue this application and detail the current status of the relationship. The affidavit must include current home phone number, work phone number, and address of the spouse"

Does she have any other relatives who have immigrated before her that weren't listed as living in the US?

No, never.

Yep that "notarized affidavit" makes me think that someone DEFINITELY said your relationship was fraud and also that they perhaps said that your husband didn't want to pursue the relationship because normally that affidavit is if the USC sent a letter to withdraw the petition and then changed their mind.

Honestly though I would send everything they're asking for and not stress too much because you know you're a legit couple. Also prepare for a Stokes just in case. Best of luck

[Churchland 2]

Yep that "notarized affidavit" makes me think that someone DEFINITELY said your relationship was fraud and also that they perhaps said that your husband didn't want to pursue the relationship because normally that affidavit is if the USC sent a letter to withdraw the petition and then changed their mind.

Honestly though I would send everything they're asking for and not stress too much because you know you're a legit couple. Also prepare for a Stokes just in case. Best of luck

I trust my husband 100%, we spent every day together since I lived here. From K1 visa, we face things and work together, we love each other very much, we are also best friends, a good team.

USCIS asked for my husband's G-325A, it is the form for K1 visa, looks like they try to review whole case, I hate to say it, but I cant help to think this might be family member caused.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I trust my husband 100%, we spent every day together since I lived here. From K1 visa, we face things and work together, we love each other very much, we are also best friends, a good team.

USCIS asked for my husband's G-325A, it is the form for K1 visa, looks like they try to review whole case, I hate to say it, but I cant help to think this might be family member caused.

Oh no I'm not saying he did (or he wouldn't be here asking ) I'm say that someone might have pretended to be him, or written in saying he said something to them and like you said, I doubt he would have done it, but someone probably said he did.

Don't stress about it too much. Aside from it being immensely upsetting and annoying, you know you have nothing to worry about, so don't worry

Edited July 31, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[Churchland 2]

Oh no I'm not saying he did (or he wouldn't be here asking ) I'm say that someone might have pretended to be him, or written in saying he said something to them and like you said, I doubt he would have done it, but someone probably said he did.

Don't stress about it too much. Aside from it being immensely upsetting and annoying, you know you have nothing to worry about, so don't worry

Thanks, we dont worry about it, just lots of things need to be prepared..

[rogerj 0]

Almost identical issue one year ago. Received a RFE detailing 18 categories of documentation. We responded with literally hundreds of pages of documentation, including some items requested in duplication, and even a few requested 3 times (all on the same RFE). Also with the photo and the newspaper...

Once submitted, we were approved immediately.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Maybe it has nothing to do with you specifically , maybe USCIS is trying out some antifraud techniques and you are the unlucky volunteers in their experiment. Challange the couple to redocument their relationship in the US .

[Churchland 2]

Almost identical issue one year ago. Received a RFE detailing 18 categories of documentation. We responded with literally hundreds of pages of documentation, including some items requested in duplication, and even a few requested 3 times (all on the same RFE). Also with the photo and the newspaper...

Once submitted, we were approved immediately.

Thanks for replying, that's kind of good to hear that we are not being singled out.

They asked for copies of our driver's license twice, one needing notarized.

Here is another thing they wanted:

List and describe the three most attractive characteristics/traits possessed by the U.S. citizen spouse (petitioner) that initially drew the beneficiary to him/her. The US citizen spouse must prepare a similar statement discussing the three characteristics/traits that he/she found most attractive about the beneficiary.

We both had to read this several times to have some idea what they actually wanted on this item.

We are going to do the same and give them mounds of evidence, way more than they are asking.

[rogerj 0]

Check out this posting I made last year. Sounds like your situation and mine are much alike.

www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/270338-rfe-with-18-categories/

Just give them what they ask for and do not stress over it. During our process, I was told on 3 separate occasions (by differing government personnel processing our application) that the process is designed, intended, and managed in a manner to create difficulty whenever possible.

The specific explanation I got in Guz was that our government was doing everything possible to ensure MY protection from fraud. She further explained that so many applicants (men) were easily deceived into believing a relationship was legitimate, when in fact, there were usually (not even often, but usually) "other" motives.

Hang in, and good luck!

[matt y andrea 0]

same thing happened to us this week unfortunately. Both of us have simple backgrounds, I have excellent credit, a steady job well above the poverty level, my husband starts his new job tomorrow. We did everything requested for AOS, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what they were asking for. I am trying not to worry because we have nothing to hide, we live with my parents and they have written multiple letters on our behalf, we've asked our close friends to write affidavits for us, and we have pictures galore. We share a bank account, he is on my health insurance, car insurance, you name it. It's just a pain to have to do all this, we had absolutely no problems when we applied for the K1. I am assuming they lost our file

[LBeachey 45]

Just give them what they ask for and do not stress over it. During our process, I was told on 3 separate occasions (by differing government personnel processing our application) that the process is designed, intended, and managed in a manner to create difficulty whenever possible.

The specific explanation I got in Guz was that our government was doing everything possible to ensure MY protection from fraud. She further explained that so many applicants (men) were easily deceived into believing a relationship was legitimate, when in fact, there were usually (not even often, but usually) "other" motives.

Hang in, and good luck!

Interesting, It is obvious this is what the government does and you can understand that creating obstacles to test people's commitment may be the only way to weed out the fraud. I am surprised gov't officials would admit that.

I have had a few acquaintance apply for Social Security Disability and the process is eerily similiar. Some cases are cut-and-dry; many to most are difficult to determine legitimacy so the gov't makes the process difficult assuming only those who really need the benefit will stick it out.

[Churchland 2]

Check out this posting I made last year. Sounds like your situation and mine are much alike.

www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/270338-rfe-with-18-categories/

Just give them what they ask for and do not stress over it. During our process, I was told on 3 separate occasions (by differing government personnel processing our application) that the process is designed, intended, and managed in a manner to create difficulty whenever possible.

The specific explanation I got in Guz was that our government was doing everything possible to ensure MY protection from fraud. She further explained that so many applicants (men) were easily deceived into believing a relationship was legitimate, when in fact, there were usually (not even often, but usually) "other" motives.

Hang in, and good luck!

Thanks for the links, it is very helpful.

We noticed that you were required for 3 traits too. Do you still remember that it was exactly like ours :

"List and describe the three most attractive characteristics/traits possessed by the U.S. citizen spouse (petitioner) that initially drew the beneficiary to him/her. The US citizen spouse must prepare a similar statement discussing the three characteristics/traits that he/she found most attractive about the beneficiary."

We both had to read this several times to try to understand what they actually want on this item, it does not make sense, for our case, all the evidences are required to provide by "petitioner", so it does not look like to require to describe 3 traits for each other, it looks like to require " petitioner " to describe 3 traits about himself to initially drew the beneficiary to him and " beneficiary" respectively.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Churchland

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

It means have the beneficiary list 3 traits about the petitioner and have the petitioner list 3 traits about the beneficiary. It's not confusing or a trick question.

[Churchland 2]

It means have the beneficiary list 3 traits about the petitioner and have the petitioner list 3 traits about the beneficiary. It's not confusing or a trick question.

But the precondition is :" The petitioner is required to submit further evidence"