Evidence of a Bonifide Marriage

[The Mean Lady 604]

Hello Team,

I'm just wondering if I need to submit ALL evidences of bonafide marriage in my initial 1-130 packet.

I know I've seen people say they brought wedding albums and such to the interview, so I guess I'm just wondering what the point of submitting everything now is, if you just bring it again later? Or is that a 'just in case' kind of thing?

Also, just wondering what I could use to submit. Here's a quick rundown of my situation.

I've been married to my husband for 2 years, I'm US, he's CAN. I travel here ALL of the time and stay for around 2-3mos at a time.

I drive by car, so I have no stamps in my passport. So far, all I can find to submit is the following:

1- Canadian Lease for APT with both of our names on it

2- 401k with him as my beneficiary

3- Canadian bank account (joint with both names)

4- Wedding pictures

5- VERY few pictures throughout the past 2 years from a few holidays of the 2 of us or with familiy (he HATES pictures!)

I have no hotel/flight info.

I have no chat logs (chatting was almost 3 years and 3 computers ago! lol)

I have no phone call logs (technically) because I purchased him a phone on my verizon us-canada plan almost 3 years ago (cheaper than calling cards)

I'm just wondering if anyone can think of anything else that I could submit that I haven't thought of?

I'm just worried because we have absolutely no travel/communications to prove.

Also, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to get a record of travel from the Canadian Border Patrol?

I know they can see when I enter so I was thinking MAYBE they would print me a record of travel?

[alizon 77]

I think the evidence you have of intermingling your financial lives (lease, 401k, bank account) is more solid than chat and phone logs. You could also consider affidavits from your friends and family if you're feeling light on evidence.

My opinion on the timing of submitting evidence is that it's better to show them everything from the start to avoid any RFEs, which would slow the process down, or the possibility of having the petition denied at that early stage. I don't see any benefit to holding things back until the interview.

[dfitz 1]

In my case, (I'm Canadian, he's American) and we have been married for just over 2 years, we sent:

1) Marraige Certificate

2) Letters from friends and family saying that they know we are on a bonafide relationship

3) Cell phone bills that show that we are both on each others plans

4) My RRSP that shows he's the beneficiary

5) Joint Bank Statements

6) My bus trip tickets from going to see him

(As well as all of the other stuff such as birth certificates and such)

We got an RFE but it was becuase they wanted his long form birth certificate, not more evidence for our relationship. We didn't send any pictures.

USCIS can see everything on yoru passport, and they will be able to see how many times you and him have crossed the border, when you have come together, etc.

Just send all that you think you need necessary, and if it's over kill then that isn't the end of the world. It's better to have too much then too little.

[The Mean Lady 604]

In my case, (I'm Canadian, he's American) and we have been married for just over 2 years, we sent:

1) Marraige Certificate

2) Letters from friends and family saying that they know we are on a bonafide relationship

3) Cell phone bills that show that we are both on each others plans

4) My RRSP that shows he's the beneficiary

5) Joint Bank Statements

6) My bus trip tickets from going to see him

(As well as all of the other stuff such as birth certificates and such)

We got an RFE but it was becuase they wanted his long form birth certificate, not more evidence for our relationship. We didn't send any pictures.

USCIS can see everything on yoru passport, and they will be able to see how many times you and him have crossed the border, when you have come together, etc.

Just send all that you think you need necessary, and if it's over kill then that isn't the end of the world. It's better to have too much then too little.

I'm guessing he didn't provide copies of his passport pages, then?

I have NO clue where my BC is so I was just going to do that instead.

Sorry, forgot to mention that we're DEFINITELY going to have our family write letters, that isn't a problem.

Heck, even my boss could write a letter lol.

I think everyone in our lives is fully aware of what we've been going through.

[The Mean Lady 604]

Is it appropriate to provide my pictures printed on paper? Or must they be actual pictures?

I don't see why this would matter, I was just curious.

It seems like it would make things easier so they were all together and keep the weight down on the packet.

[alizon 77]

Is it appropriate to provide my pictures printed on paper? Or must they be actual pictures?

I don't see why this would matter, I was just curious.

It seems like it would make things easier so they were all together and keep the weight down on the packet.

Just print them on regular paper. We copy/pasted them into a word doc with two photos per page and a little line of text underneath listing who/where/when.

[The Mean Lady 604]

Just print them on regular paper. We copy/pasted them into a word doc with two photos per page and a little line of text underneath listing who/where/when.

Perfect, that's what I was thinking. Thanks!