URGENT ADVICE PLEASE!

[michellek1976 0]

Hi all,

Need your urgent advice / opinion.

My fiance and I are currently putting together our package of additional evidence of meeting in person. I have sent him all my bank statements showing purchases made in his city, as well as hotel and airfare purchases.

He (USC) believes it is customary in the US to black line anything that is personal or not relevant to our trip.

To me that looks like we have things to hide. I would prefer to leave the statements open and use a highlighter pen to point towards the relevant purchases.

Is he paranoid or right?

Urgent opinions sought - hoping to get it posted tonight!

[William33 110]

michellek1976,

If identity fraud is the concern, just black out the account number, minus the last four digits.

XXXXXXXXXX1234 - like so.

They already have SSN, address, employer information and so forth. That information is nothing new.

Hi all,

Need your urgent advice / opinion.

My fiance and I are currently putting together our package of additional evidence of meeting in person. I have sent him all my bank statements showing purchases made in his city, as well as hotel and airfare purchases.

He (USC) believes it is customary in the US to black line anything that is personal or not relevant to our trip.

To me that looks like we have things to hide. I would prefer to leave the statements open and use a highlighter pen to point towards the relevant purchases.

Is he paranoid or right?

Urgent opinions sought - hoping to get it posted tonight!

[michellek1976 0]

Thanks William,

That's what I thought. He thinks we should black out all purchases not relevent to this RFE.

He is paranoid (I think) about people knowing about his income / spending habits. I don't get it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

We blacked out things like account numbers and non-relevant information and then also highlighted the relevant information. My USC spouse is especially concerned about personal information going somewhere outside of his control and is very reluctant to let such information get into third party hands. I don't think it will cause a problem but maybe a compromise is available - blacking out the account number and the amounts against the non-relevant information. If they don't like it they can send you a RFE. Technically, you do have things to hide - personal account information that they don't need to have. All they need to see is that there is evidence to prove that you have met in person, so purchases such like hotel rooms, transportation, etc. for times your passports show you were in the same place at the same time should be fine. They don't need to see what you paid for utilities bill or gas for the car or other non-relevant purchases and they don't need your account number - your name and address should be fine.

[William33 110]

michellek1976,

Well now, that all depends on what is being bought!!!

If usual and customary stuff, no worries. Otherwise, get the black marker warmed up!!!

Seriously, the Government is not a marketing firm, they really don't care what you legally purchase.

They are fully cognizant of his income, or will be soon.

Thanks William,

That's what I thought. He thinks we should black out all purchases not relevent to this RFE.

He is paranoid (I think) about people knowing about his income / spending habits. I don't get it.

[flygi 0]

Yeah, I would agree with your boyfriend. You don't want to give people personal information like that. Identity theft is a big problem here. I don't think any American agency is going to fault you for blacking out any non relevent data. I would not give out my bank account numbers to anyone I didn't trust completely.

[William33 110]

I disagree. Why risk an RFE over petty items?

Who cares if the Government knows how much your car payment or utility bill is? What are the risks? Zero.

We blacked out things like account numbers and non-relevant information and then also highlighted the relevant information. My USC spouse is especially concerned about personal information going somewhere outside of his control and is very reluctant to let such information get into third party hands. I don't think it will cause a problem but maybe a compromise is available - blacking out the account number and the amounts against the non-relevant information. If they don't like it they can send you a RFE. Technically, you do have things to hide - personal account information that they don't need to have. All they need to see is that there is evidence to prove that you have met in person, so purchases such like hotel rooms, transportation, etc. for times your passports show you were in the same place at the same time should be fine. They don't need to see what you paid for utilities bill or gas for the car or other non-relevant purchases and they don't need your account number - your name and address should be fine.

Disagree here too. This is the US Government, not some marketing firm that will exploit your data.

Irrespective of your opinions about the current administration, your personal data is considered sensitive and is well protected.

Yeah, I would agree with your boyfriend. You don't want to give people personal information like that. Identity theft is a big problem here. I don't think any American agency is going to fault you for blacking out any non relevent data. I would not give out my bank account numbers to anyone I didn't trust completely.

[michellek1976 0]

This is what concerns me most. This IS an RFE. We don't get any second chances here. As far as I'm aware if we don't get this right we get denied.

[flygi 0]

I disagree. Why risk an RFE over petty items?

Who cares if the Government knows how much your car payment or utility bill is? What are the risks? Zero.

Disagree here too. This is the US Government, not some marketing firm that will exploit your data.

Irrespective of your opinions about the current administration, your personal data is considered sensitive and is well protected.

Yeah, I would agree with your boyfriend. You don't want to give people personal information like that. Identity theft is a big problem here. I don't think any American agency is going to fault you for blacking out any non relevent data. I would not give out my bank account numbers to anyone I didn't trust completely.

It is not the government I would worry about it is an individual in the handling process. The reason you give the last 4 numbers of your account is because if the service center wants to confirm this is you they can use that information to confirm with the bank. I would worry more about ID theft than I would about getting an RFE.

[William33 110]

flygi,

I can appreciate that and if you noted my original response to the OP, I suggested blacking all but the last 4 digits of the account number.

Personally, I would trust a Government employee or contractor, over some of the "unique individuals" collecting my credit cards for goods and services payments.

Blacking out purchased items irrelevant to the "evidence" you are intending to submit is unnecessary.

It is not the government I would worry about it is an individual in the handling process. The reason you give the last 4 numbers of your account is because if the service center wants to confirm this is you they can use that information to confirm with the bank. I would worry more about ID theft than I would about getting an RFE.

[mozplay 29]

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but as long as they have your SSN number, don't they have the authority/tools to get all that info anyway if they wanted it? For legit purposes or not? While they won't go looking for evidence to help you, there is nothing to stop anyone with ulterior motives from finding doing things like checking out your bank balances and/or credit card statements if they really wanted to.

[William33 110]

mozplay,

I was not going to go there, but since you brought it up....You are absolutely correct.

Having worked for the USG, I know this to be factual.

Everyone needs to be concerned about identity theft. However, I would challenge anyone who suggests that your personal data is at risk in this process.

Correct me if I'm wrong.. but as long as they have your SSN number, don't they have the authority/tools to get all that info anyway if they wanted it? For legit purposes or not? While they won't go looking for evidence to help you, there is nothing to stop anyone with ulterior motives from finding doing things like checking out your bank balances and/or credit card statements if they really wanted to.

[BPM-MVS 0]

Hi all,

Need your urgent advice / opinion.

My fiance and I are currently putting together our package of additional evidence of meeting in person. I have sent him all my bank statements showing purchases made in his city, as well as hotel and airfare purchases.

He (USC) believes it is customary in the US to black line anything that is personal or not relevant to our trip.

To me that looks like we have things to hide. I would prefer to leave the statements open and use a highlighter pen to point towards the relevant purchases.

Is he paranoid or right?

Urgent opinions sought - hoping to get it posted tonight!

Paranoid? well the Government knows how much we make. I do see his distrust in conveying or typing it out for others to see. But he has to divulge the data to the USCIS in some instances the originals!!! He's scared of a visa purchase dealing with others than you? His Bank account will be stripped of all assets??? Not true!

JOKE: Tell him that marriage, niether sex, will not happen till he proves his worth without the black line. He may just be another broke American citizen!

[Teachers 12]

What USCIS wants is evidence of the visit, nothing more. I'm not particularly worried about identity theft. I WOULD want to make my partner happy. Thus I'd get out the marker for his benefit.

Tom

[William33 110]

TomYu,

My first disagreement with your usual cogent advice. Everyone seems to have a significant level of paranoia about providing a bank statement or credit card bill, with extraneous information included.

The risk here is the account number, nothing more.

If one starts "redacting" the document, the value of it as evidence decreases exponentially.

For all contributors to this thread: What is the risk in leaving purchase information in the document?

We all agree that the vulnerable account number needs to be blacked out, minus the last four digits.

What USCIS wants is evidence of the visit, nothing more. I'm not particularly worried about identity theft. I WOULD want to make my partner happy. Thus I'd get out the marker for his benefit.

Tom